Martha Grace Dempsey

Grace Dempsey was born in 1932 to Martha and Dante Bianchi and grew up on the Bianchi ranch in Templeton, California with her six brothers and sisters. She was active in 4H and raised Poland China Pigs, entered many items into the mid-state fair, and ran a turkey clinic on the ranch. At Templeton High School she was a member of the Drum and Bugle Band, playing both the clarinet and snare drums. After high school, Grace graduated from Mary’s Help College of Nursing in San Francisco. She worked as a Registered Nurse at hospitals in San Francisco, Paso Robles, and San Luis Obispo. Grace was married to Patrick Dempsey for 60 years until his passing in 2018. Grace and Pat were born in the same house in Paso Robles by the same midwife two years apart. They went to the same elementary school in Templeton and rode the same bus to school. Both were members of the St. Rose Newman Club in Paso Robles. Pat was drafted into the Army when Grace went to college but they re-connected again at a New Year's Eve square dance in 1956 at the Atascadero Grange Hall and were happily married eleven months later. They moved to San Luis Obispo, California and raised their three children: John, Frank, and Ann. Grace was always busy. She was an amazing organ player. She also enjoyed knitting, crocheting, quilting, sewing, cake decorating, gardening, upholstering, exploring her genealogy, and she loved to hike. She used to climb to the top of San Luis Mountain daily. Over the years, she taught food preservation, cake decorating, and trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) at Cuesta College. She was a member of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Unit and also was part of the San Luis Obispo Ranger Service and helped to maintain San Luis Obispo’s local trails. Grace died on December 21, 2022 after a very brief illness. She is survived by her three children: John Dempsey (Suzanne), Frank Dempsey (Marianne), and Ann Olsen (Casey) and seven grandchildren, Matthew, Patrick, Hannah, Kathleen, Claire, Michael, and Eleanor. She is also survived by her three sisters Emily, Carol, Judy and her two brothers David (Barbara) and Dan and many nieces and nephews. A rosary will be at Reis Mortuary in San Luis Obispo at 6pm on January 12, 2022. A funeral mass will be at the Old Mission Church in San Luis Obispo at 10am on January 13, 2022, followed by burial at Paso Robles District Cemetery.

Martha Grace Dempsey

November 28, 1932 - December 21, 2022